kickin' it with you
by maia morris
Summary: short oneshot ft. carlos and DA. DA's failing soccer in pe, so Carlos comes to her rescue. But much more ends up coming out their practice.


_BEEEEEEEEEEEP!_ "Miss Fields, if you let another ball go into that net, you're having detention for a week!"

_Kill me now!_ Dorothy Ann thought to herself as she nodded towards her sadistic, evil PE teacher. It wasn't her fault that she was more brains than brawn! _When was the soccer section over anyway? It seemed like they had been playing fore-_ Dorothy Ann's thoughts were cut short by the sight of the black and white ball heading towards her at the feet of a faceless competitor. She steeled herself quickly before running up to try and get the ball away from her opponent. Dorothy Ann tried kicking the ball away but soon found herself dizzy and tangled up with the stranger. They lost their footing and fell to the rough ground.

"OUCH! DA, watch where you put your shoes!" Keesha Johnson yelped in DA's ear before pulling herself up and breaking into giggles. "You really are hopeless!" Keesha laughed.

DA scrunched her nose up at the girl. Keesha is one of DA's best friends ever, along with the rest of the group: Wanda, Phoebe, Arnold, Tim, Ralphie and Carlos. They had all been best friends since third grade with crazy Ms. Frizzle. But now they were all juniors in high school, and third grade was just an ancient memory. A weird, insane, ancient memory. Keesha offered a hand to DA to help pull her up and DA accepted. Suddenly, Mrs. Harring, their PE teacher blew the whistle that signaled the end of the horrific class period. Keesha and DA both blew out sighs of relief.

"Miss Fields, a moment please." Mrs. Harring's whiny old woman voice called out. DA grimaced and turned around to her teacher.

"Dorothy Ann, if you fail the soccer portion of physical education, then I will have to fail you. Work harder or pay the consequences." DA's eyes went wide. _A...FAILURE? I've never failed any class before...God damn soccer to all he-  
_"Do I make myself clear, Miss Fields?"

DA nodded silently and Mrs. Harring made a motion with her head that told her to get going. DA headed over to where Keesha was waiting for her. Back in the locker room, DA told Keesha about her predicament.

"A fail? For soccer? Damn, that witch really is evil." Keesha exclaimed.

DA leaned back on her changing locker and closed her eyes. "And i've never failed anything before. Like... ever."

Keesha shook her head. "You need to get some serious soccer tutoring and fast." Her eyes widened. "You know...Carlos plays soccer. He's like the captain, isn't he? I'm sure he wouldn't mind if.."

DA raised her eyebrows at her friend. It wasn't a secret that everyone else in their group wanted DA and Carlos to get together. And although she would never have admitted it out loud, DA did have a crush on Carlos, and she had had one since third grade. But she didn't dare acknowledge it, and she threw herself into studying relentlessly to take her mind off of things. Still... she and Carlos definitely had sexual tension, and even more so they had something else between them... Something stronger and more powerful that DA had never felt before. She tries her hardest to keep their relationship simply platonic when they hang out or sleepover at each others houses but sometimes, just sometimes, DA wishes that it would turn into something more...

"DA? You alive in there?" Keesha asked. DA turned sharply towards her friend "Yeah, um, let's go to lunch."

"... And then I was all like, "Why don't you ever do the homework if it's so easy then?" And he was like "Because I'm the teacher, Wanda." And I was all "Like that's an excuse!" Wanda Li was in the middle of telling the rest of the group about her latest detention slip when Keesha and DA sat down at the table.

"Wanda, if you're gonna keep getting detentions, at least get a GOOD story out of it.." Ralphie Swann rolled his eyes at the girl. Wanda stuck her tongue back out at him in annoyance.

"Hey guys, how was PE?" Phoebe asked Keesha and DA. Keesha started chuckling. "Well, I fell for DA... literally! Twinkletoes here is not exactly Beckham on the soccer field..." She indicated her thumb towards DA, who placed her forehead in her hands and sighed.

"It's not my fault! I'm just... athletically impaired, I guess." DA shook her head. "And it's beginning to become a real problem. Coach Harring says she'll fail me if I fail the soccer section."

"Damn." Tim whistled between his teeth. "A fail? Do you even know what that means, DA?" Ralphie asked DA in a joking tone. DA glared back up at the boy.

"Well, it's a good thing you've got the captain of the soccer team who would eat his pants to be your knight and shining armor." Wanda rolled her eyes. Before DA could respond, Keesha spoke "Well, speak of the devil."

Carlos sat down next to Arnold, who was so engrossed in his Chemistry homework he probably had no idea what the rest were talking about. Carlos pushed his messy black hair out of his eyes and stared at the rest of the table.

"...Why is everyone looking at me like that?" Carlos asked suspiciously. Wanda opened her mouth but DA kicked her before any words came out. It wasn't that DA didn't want help, especially from Carlos, but whenever one of their friends said something about one another to each other, it always came out wrong and made the two feel uncomfortable. Carlos shook his head and took out his lunch.

"How was geometry?" Ralphie asked Carlos.

"It sucked. As usual. I still don't see how this is going to help with my future at all." Carlos said, rolling his eyes.

"Geometry is the gateway to success. The better you do now, the easier your life will be during and after college. It creates a solid foundation and can help relieve tension for when you're at work and you actually know what you're doing." DA recited, not looking up from her hands. She could feel Carlos and Ralphie's confused expressions emanating in her direction already.

"Wow DA... that speech was really SQUARE. Haha, get it? Square? Cause we're talking about geometry?" Carlos noticed that DA hadn't even lifted her head to glare at him for making one of his famous puns. "Hey, what's wrong? Did something happen?" Carlos asked, genuinely concerned. He didn't like it when DA was upset, even if it was over something stupid like an easy chemistry question she missed. DA sat up properly and faced him. _God, she is so beautiful with those eyes.._ Carlos thought to himself. He was in love with DA. He found that out long ago. And Carlos knew sexual attraction when he saw it, and it was definitely there between him and her, but he was afraid of making a move and ruining their friendship.

"Coach Harring says that if I fail soccer in PE, she's gonna fail me. Which means I can practically kiss honor roll goodbye right now." DA's eyebrows furrowed and she crossed her arms over he chest, obviously frustrated. Carlos had to suppress a smile at how cute yet childish she looked.

"DA... You do realize i'm like, the captain of the soccer team, right?" Carlos asked slowly. "I'll help you if you want." It was just him, DA and Arnold at the table now, as the others had left to go and prepare for their next classes. DA nodded slowly, and then fast.  
"Please help me, I seriously need it. I'm absolutely hopeless." DA shook her head.

"Do you wanna come over later? We can come after school is over and practice then."

"Sounds good, but I have tutoring and then volunteering so maybe like 6-ish?"

"That works. I'll be done with practice by then."

"See you then, then. And thank you, Carlos. This really means a lot."

"Anytime, DA. I gotta get to English, see ya."

And with that, Carlos stood up, pushed his chair in and walked out of the cafeteria. DA stared after him before refocusing and noticing that Arnold was smirking at her.

"What?" DA asked Arnold.

"I swear, the mental and physical attraction between you two is so thick I could reach out and feel it." DA reddened and began packing her things.

"Don't you have a chemistry class you should be studying for?" DA asked Arnold while standing up and preparing to leave.

"Yes, but I got so distracted by the hearts in yours and Carlos's eyes that I had to stop. Have fun tonight." DA rolled her eyes and walked away, but as soon as her back was turned, she smiled to herself.

_Ugh, _DA thought while looking up at the sky. It was pretty dark already, and she could feel the wind blowing, a sure sign that rain was just around the corner. She had changed out of her school clothes, taken a shower, and put on her sweats and sweatshirt that she had gotten at the Walkerville Science Bowl last year, when she had taken first place for an automatic pancake maker. She tugged on a strand of blonde hair and glanced around. This time she caught sight of Carlos, wearing a pair of his soccer practice shorts and a black sweatshirt. DA's breath caught in her throat. He looked so cute coming towards her, head all bent and hair all messy... She smiled when he finally reached her.

"Sorry i'm a little late, I wanted to shower before I got here."  
"It's okay... I'm sorry for what I'm about to put you through."

Carlos laughed. "Oh DA, you can't be that bad. Besides, I'm here to help you reach your... goal! Get it? Cause we're playing soccer?" DA suppressed a smile and mock-glared at him, which made him laugh even harder. When he finally stopped, he dropped the ball on the ground and said "Alright, let's get started!"

Two hours later, and DA was beginning to show signs of progress. She was kicking her way up and down the field, could pass and steal the ball moderately well, and was currently trying to get the ball into the net. By now, it had started to rain, lightly at first, but now it was becoming more of a shower. The stadium lights had come on, and the sky was black and cloudy. But that did not dim DA's spirit. With all her determination, along with Carlos's never ending encouragement and patience, she had pushed herself to new limits.

"Okay, let's take a break now. You look tired." Carlos noted. DA sat down on the wet grass and smiled up at her tall, tan crush. He smiled back down at her, taking in her rosy red cheeks and piercing blue eyes before sitting down next to her and adding, "You've improved a lot. I'm very proud." DA smiled over at him. "Thanks a lot for helping me, it really means a lot." He nodded and looked down at the grass. DA wanted nothing more in that moment than to reach over and fix his messy hair and look deep into his gorgeous brown eyes and kiss him, but she contained herself. This was simply platonic. Carlos looked up at her, a twinkle in his eyes. "Hey, do you wanna play me? It'll be fun!" DA was unsure at first but then she thought _the hell with it, _and agreed. Carlos stood up and offered a hand, which she took. He tried to ignore the little shiver he got when he held her small warm hand and tried not to hesitate when he let it go.  
"Okay, ready?" Carlos asked.

"Ready." DA responded.

Carlos dropped the ball on the cold ground and began kicking. DA caught up with him and began fighting for the ball as well. They were at it for a good five minutes, with Carlos using all his fancy footwork and DA putting in a valiant effort until deja vu occurred. DA's foot went wrapped around Carlos's, sending them both down. They started laughing as soon as they fell, DA on top of Carlos. The rain was getting heavier now and the stadium lights created a soft luminescent glow that shone over both of them. Carlos stared up at DA, who was still giggling a little bit, and his heart wrenched at the thought of being so in love, yet so far away from ever getting her. DA looked down at Carlos, who was smiling up at her. Without thinking, she moved her hand to wipe away a drop of rain that had fallen on to his nose. The tension grew higher and higher between them until DA and Carlos's consciences were practically screaming for them to kiss each other. _Screw it, _DA thought, and she instinctively leaned up and kissed him. It was small but warm, and it only lasted a second. Carlos's eyes were wide and mixed with emotions. DA opened her mouth to say sorry, but she was cut off by Carlos's lips pressed up against hers. She closed her surprised eyes and settled into the kiss, enjoying every minute of it. When they finally let go, Carlos reached up to touch his fingers to his mouth, which was tingling like crazy. He looked back at DA who was doing the same, and they both started laughing. And they kissed again. And again. And they stood there in the pouring rain with a soccer ball in between them, and years of longing and wanting far behind them.

"DA." Carlos said.

"Yes?"

"I love you."

DA leaned her head against his wet sweatshirt covered chest and said,

"I love you too."


End file.
